We are fighting to make sure that all members of the Gay & Lesbian community recieve a fair trial and prosecution in the judicial system here in Lexington County and all of SC. and not denied justice as our friend was.

April 19, 2011, my friend Cyndi, a member of the lesbian community here in Lexington County, was due in court for what we thought would be the beginning of a jury trial that had been postponed several times.  We were ready for closure.  What we got was a slap in the face. 

Court was scheduled for 9am in Swansea with Judge Shockley presiding.  After waiting around an hour for court to start, the Prosecutor (Nicole Howland) turned toward us sitting in the pews, put the case file on the partition separating the pews from the lawyers seats and proceeded to tell us she was not going to try this case.  She looked at my friend and told her (us) that she was so proud of her for coming forward, because so many in the gay and lesbian community do not.  She then proceeded to tell us how her department was working with the domestic violence section and that they have just recently started a section primarily for the gay and lesbian community.  Encouraged my friend to tell her friends to come forward.  Then, in the same breath, told us that she would not try the case because she would not be able to find 6 jurors in the community that would not be impartial to my friends “alternative lifestyle”. 

This is not right. Cyndi should have been able to have her case tried, wether there was 6 very homophobic jurors or 6 homosexual jurors on the jury.  This is an ethics violation but also a complete travesty as to what the US Justice System stands for. 

We cannot as a community, state or nation sit by and let this happen.  By signing this you are requesting that Cyndi recieve the justice she waited for, the justice she deserves and the peace of mind knowing that no matter the outcome of a trial, she is not a piece of trash discarded by a prosecuter.